It has heretofore been known that it is desirable to provide means for ventilating a roof. Typical patents that have been heretofore suggested are, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,799,214, 3,236,170, 3,949,657, 4,280,399, 4,325,290 and 4,554,862.
In U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,924,761 and 5,009,249, there is disclosed a roof vent comprising a one piece plastic body including a base wall having transversely spaced rows of integral vanes extending from one surface thereof. The vanes of adjacent rows are positioned such that the vanes define a sinuous path. Preferably, one of each of the rows has the wings extending at an acute angle to the axis of the wall and the other row or each set of rows has the wings extending at an oppositely directed acute axis to the longitudinal axis of the wall toward the wings of the one row. Thus, air is vented through sinuous paths outwardly when the vent is positioned with the wings engaging the roof and the base wall spaced from the roof. Water and snow are prevented by the wings from entry beneath the vent into the building. A wall is provided over the free ends of the wings and includes a longitudinally extending portion that extends from the wall toward the base wall such that when the roof vent is applied to a hip roof and is subjected to transverse winds, water and snow will be deflected from entry into the building.
When such a roof vent is applied to a hip roof, there may be a possibility that water or snow blown in laterally by the inclined hip roof may enter the building.
Accordingly, among the objectives of the present invention are to provide a ridge vent for a hip roof that is particularly adapted to be used either with a horizontal ridge or with an inclined or hip ridge as in hip roofs; wherein the roof vent can be readily adapted to be used on hip roofs; and wherein the adaptation can be achieved at low cost.
In accordance with the invention, the ridge vent for a hip roof comprises a one piece plastic body including a base wall having transversely spaced rows of integral vanes extending from one surface thereof. The vanes of adjacent rows are positioned such that the vanes define a sinuous path. Preferably, one of each of the rows has the wings extending at an acute angle to the axis of the wall and the other row or each set of rows has the wings extending at an oppositely directed acute axis to the longitudinal axis of the wall toward the wings of the one row. Thus, air is vented through sinuous paths outwardly when the vent is positioned with the wings engaging the roof and the base wall spaced from the roof. Water and snow are prevented by the wings from entry beneath the vent into the building. A wall is provided over the free ends of the wings and includes a longitudinally extending portion that extends from the wall toward the base wall. The vent is oriented such that the wings in the outermost row of wings extend downwardly and outwardly when the vent is positioned on the ridge of a hip roof, such that when the roof vent is applied to a hip roof and is subjected to transverse winds, water and snow will be deflected from entry into the building.